Co-op beefs up food management team

Co-operative Food has strengthened its senior management team with the appointment of three new heads of commercial trading.

Co-op said the trio, along with the existing senior leadership team, will deliver its commercial trading strategy to help drive sales.

Ian Martin has joined the business to take up the role of head of commercial trading for alcohol and frozen food. He was previously with Asda, where he held a number of category director positions.

Matt Hood will take on the role of head of commercial trading for dairy, chilled prepared foods and protein, following a career at Tesco, where he was group food sourcing director.

CJ Antal Smith will be joining from Asda, where she is currently category trading director, emerging markets, having started as a graduate. CJ will head up the group’s core grocery and non-edible grocery categories, when she joins the team in February 2013.

Mark Owen, formerly head of commercial chilled and frozen, is the new head of commercial trading for fuel and non-food turnover. He will also lead sales development, promotions and third-party relationships.

Commercial director Mike Osmond said: “We are embarking on a strategic programme to deliver ambitious commercial trading levels, and I am confident that these key appointments will complement and strengthen our existing commercial and senior management teams.”